Prison Entrepreneurship Program (Official Page)

09/28/2026

Graduation begins long before a cap and gown, and this Friday, the Lychner Fall 2026 class will celebrate the culmination of that work.

Over at the Estes unit the Fall 2026 class is preparing for their graduation at the end of October. The Estes Chronicles Editor-in-Chief, reflects on the daily work of accountability, character development and rebuilding trust with family. His story also shows how PEP’s Family Liaison helps loved ones recognize when real change is taking root.

Read Spencer’s story and explore the full Chronicle:
https://www.pep.org/graduation-begins-before-the-ceremony/

At Sanders Estes, preparing for graduation means more than completing a program. It means giving families new reasons to believe lasting change is possible.

09/24/2026

What does transformation look like inside prison?

This month, it looks like 16 men graduating from PEP at the Estelle Unit, surrounded by nearly 120 men who came to celebrate what they accomplished.

It looks like hope. Belonging. Leadership. And a future that suddenly feels possible.

PEP’s September newsletter shares this milestone, national recognition of our work, a new vision for the future, and more stories from the men at the heart of our mission.

Read the September newsletter: https://www.pep.org/september-2026-newsletter/

Behind every PEP statistic is a father hoping to reconnect with the people he loves.

09/18/2026

The day's almost over, but there's still time to make it count.
A gift to PEP tonight helps a man coming home to North Texas get training, mentorship, housing support and a job. It also helps the family waiting for him.
If you've been meaning to give, this is your sign: https://www.pep.org/ntxgd/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=freshstarts_ntx
Thank you, North Texas.

09/17/2026

"PEP didn't just teach me how to run a business. It taught me who I was supposed to be."
For Emmanuel, the turning point wasn't release day. It was the moment a business executive sat across from him inside a Texas prison and treated him like a peer.
Today he runs his own company, employs others and comes back to PEP as a volunteer.
Stories like his are why we're asking North Texas to give today. Help write the next one: https://www.pep.org/ntxgd/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=freshstarts_ntx

09/17/2026

No one rebuilds a life alone.
These North Texas organizations walk alongside indviduals coming home from prison, and they're all part of today. Show them some love:
• One Man's Treasure (Rockwall): clothing and connections to essential services for men returning from Texas prisons
• Bridges To Life (Arlington): a 14-week restorative justice program inside prisons
• Well Grounded Coffee Co (Dallas): second-chance opportunities through work, education, community and faith
• VOA Texas (Euless): housing, recovery and reentry services
• The Stewpot (Dallas): helping neighbors overcome homelessness and poverty

Links to each of their giving pages are here: https://www.pep.org/ntxgd/

09/17/2026

Today, North Texas is showing up for its neighbors, and we're asking you to show up for men coming home.
Every year, men return to North Texas from prison ready to rebuild their lives. PEP gives them business training, mentorship and a support network that starts inside prison and stays with them long after release.

The result? Fewer than 10% of PEP graduates return to prison, compared to 28% nationally.

Help a North Texas man come home for good. Give here: https://www.pep.org/ntxgd

09/15/2026

Second chances are more than moments of opportunity—they’re long-term investments in people, families, and communities.

When individuals are met with practical support, meaningful relationships, and the chance to rebuild, the impact can last for generations.

Read PEP’s latest post:
https://www.pep.org/the-long-term-value-of-investing-in-second-chances/

09/08/2026

Getting hired is a milestone. It is not the finish line.

For men coming home from prison, that first job provides income and structure. Real career growth is what comes after: building skills, earning trust through consistency, and turning a paycheck into a path forward.

Our newest post breaks down what that progression actually looks like, and why long term thinking changes the outcome.

Read it here: https://www.pep.org/what-real-career-growth-looks-like-after-prison/

06/21/2026

Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared stories of fathers rebuilding trust, restoring relationships, and creating new futures for their families.

We’ve heard from Raymond Herrera, Kyle and Parker Cox, Michael Etcheson, and servant leaders inside prison walls who are preparing to become the fathers their children deserve.

Today, we’re bringing those stories together.

In this special Father’s Day edition of the PEP newsletter, you’ll find the stories, reflections, and mission behind this year’s campaign.

A restored father can change a family.
A restored family can change a future.

Read the Father’s Day newsletter:

Behind every PEP statistic is a man – a son and many times a father – who wants nothing more than to reconnect and spend time with the ones he had to leave years ago. Though there is more to it than that, at the end of the day, that is really all that matters.

06/19/2026

“Every time you hear one of these kids yell out ‘Daddy,’ it gets me every single time.”

PEP’s Michael Etcheson knows firsthand what it means to receive a second chance.

In this conversation with The Jeff Crilley Show, he shares how PEP helped him become a better father and why restoring families remains at the heart of our mission.

Watch the interview and learn more at PEP.org/fathers.

The Prison Entrepreneurship Program is a cause close to my heart. T...